Category: Pet Health

Pets sometimes have issues with their skin and coat. Just like us humans, they can get dry hair, dry and itchy skin, and for some it’s worse than others. If your pet is having issues with their skin and coat, you may want to look for an appropriate vitamin that will help them based on the type of pet it is and their problem. Here are some alternatives. For Dogs Is your dog’s coat dull, greasy, or thin? Is their skin itchy, and are they scratching a lot? If they don’t have an underlying condition such as a food allergy or illness that needs mediation or vet care, there are options that you can try. * B Vitamins – These are important for a healthy coat. The most important B vitamin for a healthy coat is biotin. If you can get your dog to eat green veggies, peas, or nutritional...

There are a lot of choices today for pet supplements. They have liquid, powders, pills, chews, and even sublingual (fast dissolving) varieties for pets. Your options are many, but some may absorb better than others. * Liquids – Often this is a great choice because if the pet will take it (either with a dropper or directly on their food), they will get it all inside their digestive tract faster without too much digestive work. But some people believe that since it’s a liquid form, the highly acidic process that happens through digestion destroys a lot of the benefit. * Powders – The good thing about powders is that they can be mixed into food and hidden. However, some pets, just like with liquids, are wise to it and don’t like the taste and will refuse to eat it. And you can’t do anything else with powders except to put...

Most animal medications have instructions regarding when to give them to your pet, but vitamins sometimes don’t offer help. In general, you will want to give your pet their supplements with food, based on the instructions on the package. Here are some tips on how to give vitamins and supplements to your pets. Read the Label The label will have a lot of information about when and how to give the vitamins to your pet. Some will say with food, some will say between meals, and some will say how many hours before or after meals to give it to them. One thing you do want to ensure is that they have fresh water. Ditch the People Food Some people like to put pills in hot dogs for their dog. The problem is, hot dogs are highly processed with lots of salt and other ingredients that your dog does not...

Vitamins and supplements have made a huge comeback for not only humans but their pets too. One of the reasons is that we enjoy treating our pets like children, because we love them, and we want them to be healthy and happy. If it’s good for us, it’s good for them, right? That’s the attitude, anyway. But, do pets really need vitamins and supplements? Do they really help? The first thing you should do for your pet is to feed them right, give them lots of exercise, and play with them and love them often. This will help your pet be as healthy as possible even without vitamins and supplements. * Healthy Diet – Feed your pet commercially prepared food that is highly rated and recommended by your veterinarian. Don’t worry; if your vet recommends food that they sell in their office, you can ask them what type of food...

Sometimes people think that if something is good for their pet (or themselves), more equals better. But, the problem with that idea is that it’s never true. Like humans, adults or children, animals can overdose on too many vitamins and supplements. This can make them very sick and even cause serious complications, including death. But, it depends on the vitamin or supplement. Symptoms of Vitamin or Supplement Overdose If your pet has got into their (or your) supplements, the best course of action is to immediately get them to an emergency vet clinic – even if they have no symptoms yet. If they are having symptoms, these will usually include digestive issues such as diarrhea, vomiting, and painful gas. Most overdoses are not intended. If you’re cognizant of what is in your pet’s food before you supplement, and only give the recommended daily amounts, it’s very unlikely to overdose your...

We humans like to take supplements to help improve our health. Sometimes they work, and sometimes they don’t. The same can be said for your fur babies. Just as the research conducted on supplements for humans is sparse, so is animal research for supplements. But, vets will try supplementation for pets when nothing else seems to work, and some pet parents claim relief, so it can often be worth trying on a case-by-case basis depending on the problem. Failure to Thrive Sometimes a pet will suffer from a failure to thrive no matter what type of food the pet parent is providing. When this happens, veterinarians will look to supplement a pet on the types of nutrients they need. If this happens, you will have to manually provide vitamins, minerals, and calories to the animal to prevent deficiencies. Cat Herpes (FHV-1) The feline herpes virus is very common in shelter...

Just like humans, older dogs often have bone issues like arthritis in their joints, which causes them pain and limits their ability to play and have fun. There are many different types of products being marketed to the older dog, so it can be hard to decipher what, if anything, you really need when choosing the best joint supplements for them. The main supplement offered both humans and dogs with joint issues, and that shows some promise in studies, is glucosamine. The Benefits of Glucosamine for Dogs There are several benefits of adding glucosamine joint supplement to your older dog’s diet. * Pain relief * Lowers inflammation * Rebuilds lost cartilage * Improved joint function * Easier joint movement * Improved energy In addition, glucosamine is inexpensive, has fewer risk than pain medication, and usually doesn’t react with other supplements, food, or medications other than blood thinners. The Drawbacks of...

When you change anything about your pet’s diet, including providing supplementation, the changes won’t happen overnight. Like with humans, it can sometimes take weeks to find out if a medication is working or not. Therefore, understand that although nutrition, supplements, and vitamins can sometimes help your pet, it’s not an overnight solution. Glucosamine This is a supplement given to pets to help with arthritis and joint pain. It can be purchased over the counter and some veterinarians will also stock it and give it to their patients for treating arthritis. While the evidence is not strong right now that it works, some people swear by it. Most vets say to give it at least six weeks before deciding if it’s working or not. Fish Oil Many people give their pets fish oil because they want them to have a nice coat and fewer skin allergies. Dogs and cats don’t have...

Just like many people today are learning that their bodies are deficient in certain vitamins and minerals, we are also concerned about whether our pets are getting enough in their diets to keep them happy and healthy. Therefore, pet parents often introduce various supplements, vitamins, and medications to their pets without thinking of the long-term consequences. Our best friend, our vet, or someone else said that it was good for the pet, so we buy it and use it – not realizing that things we add to our pet’s body can interact together and cause problems, just like in people. What’s worse is that pets cannot tell us about their side effects, so we may be completely unaware of a problem until it’s too late. The Supplement Industry The supplement industry is a 15-billion-dollar industry which has very powerful advertising and marketing that affects our choices. As many as 30...